Sonora Man Sentenced to Life In Prison

A local man was sentenced to life in prison on rape charges Monday morning. 40-year-old James Emmons Jr. of Sonora appeared before Judge Mark Fleegle and was facing 16 counts of rape in connection with incidents involving a nine-year-old girl between February of 2005 and November of 2010. Judge Fleegle sentenced Emmons to life in prison with a chance for parole after 35 years. The Judge also classified Emmons as a Tier III sex offender which means he will have to report to law enforcement every 90 days for the rest of his life.